Gifts
by elphaba reincarnated
Summary: Even though he celebrates Hanukkah, Mark feels like he got the best gift of all. MarkMaureen. AU. Oneshot.


Okay...I didn't edit this... I don't even remember if I FINISHED it, but I wanted to get it up before Christmas... and here it is, Christmas...

I tried...

* * *

Mark stared at the needle-bare Christmas tree that Angel and Mimi had dragged into the loft a few days ago. They'd weighed it down with so many knick-knacks and lights that he was surprised that it hadn't fallen down. Under the tree were presents wrapped in newspaper or taped up in cardboard boxes. A few, from Joanne, had actual shiny, store-bought wrapping paper. He stared for a bit longer then looked away. Traces of the lights still flashed before his eyes. The rest of the loft looked much darker than it had a few minutes ago. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to readjust to the dimness of the loft. Then, he went to his room to escape the gaudy, teasing brilliance of the tree. 

It wasn't that Mark didn't like Christmas. He felt that it was more like Christmas didn't like him. Back home in Scarsdale, he could've sworn that everyone celebrated Hanukkah. Then, he moved to New York City and suddenly, Hanukkah was lost in the shadows. Hanukkah just didn't compare to the bright lights, carols, presents… commercialism of Christmas.

Actually, Mark loved Christmas. Everybody was cheery and loving and generous. The decorations were amazing… But they weren't for small-town Jewish boy, Mark Cohen, to get lost in. They were for…well, everybody else he knew. He never felt comfortable joining in Christmas merriment either. Sure, it looked fun, but it felt almost like stealing from the 'better' holiday. Hell, Hanukkah had seven whole days on Christmas and Christmas was still more celebrated.

In any case, Mark kept a tiny menorah in his room as not to distract from the Christmas tree. He fit it with birthday candle sized candles and lit it as the holiday progressed. That was all he did for Hanukkah, but it seemed like enough. This year, the last day of Hanukkah was, ironically, Christmas. Christmas was in nine days.

Mark sighed and plopped down on his bed. Tomorrow, his week and a day of lonely celebration began.

* * *

Mark stayed at the loft while the rest of the Bohemians went Christmas shopping. 

Boring. They were gone all day.

When they got back, Maureen and Mimi had a gift wrapping session. Mark left. He went filming and had some tea at the Life. By the time he got back, Maureen was gone and Mimi was fast asleep on the couch, leaning against Roger. Roger looked slightly annoyed, but only because he couldn't reach his guitar. He grinned at Mark and waved pathetically, trying hard not to stir Mimi. Mark returned the wave and headed straight for his room.

He set his things down in the dark room and lit a match. He lit the first candle for Hanukkah. As the flame settled, Mark noticed a small wrapped package sitting in front of the menorah. Curious, he picked it up and read the tag. '_Happy Hanukkah, Mark', _it screamed in cursive. Mark didn't know anyone who wrote in cursive normally. Shrugging, he ripped open the blue and silver paper and found a brand new strap for his camera. Attached to the strap was another note. _Don't tell that you got anything. It's a secret._

The next evening, as he lit the second candle, he found another package labeled in the same mysterious cursive. This time, he got a tripod.

This charade went on until he had two new lenses, a light to attach to his camera to shoot in dark places, a tire patch kit for his bike, and a hat and gloves with cut-off fingers that matched his scarf.

The next day was Christmas AND the last day of Hanukkah. Early Christmas morning, Mark slipped his gifts to the Bohemians under the tree and then went back to sleep. He woke up a few hours later to a strangely familiar smell. Latkes. He rubbed his eyes and tiredly got up and opened his door. At his feet, there was a camera case. Beside that was a wrapped stack of latkes with a note on the top that simply read '_Shh!'_.

His mouth began to water. He couldn't remember the last time he had latkes. He looked around for a clue as to who was leaving him all of these gifts. Nobody seemed to be awake yet. Shrugging, he grabbed the camera case and the plate of potato pancakes and enjoyed them quietly in his room, savoring each bite.

Afterward, he found his camera and tried fitting it in the new case. It didn't fit. He tried fitting it at a different angle. Still, no luck. Mark furrowed his brow. After a few more failed attempts, he set both the case and the camera on his bed and sat back, not thinking, just reveling in his last day of Hanukkah and resting away his food coma. He fell asleep.

About an hour later, Roger came knocking loudly on his door.

"Mark! Hey, wake up! It's Christmas!"

"I'm Jewish!" Mark called groggily through the door.

"Who gives a shit? It's a holiday, come celebrate," Roger insisted. "We're opening presents once Collins, Angel, Jo, and Maureen get here."

"Alright, alright…" Mark swung his legs over the side of his bed and lumbered out of his room. He made a bee-line to the worn couch and plopped down, closing his eyes.

"Hey, Marky! Happy Chrismikkah!" Mimi said brightly, handing him a cup of coffee. Mark smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Meems."

There was a knock at the door.

"I got it!" Mimi called, prancing to the door. She slid the heavy metal gate open.

"Merry Christmas, bitches!" Collins' familiar greeting echoed through the loft. Mark turned around, smiling. Behind Collins, Angel had on her Santa jacket and tights. Filing in behind them were Joanne and Maureen. Mark looked at them curiously. They just didn't look 'right' together. Joanne had a very adult, very conservative red sweater, khaki's and Doc Marten's on while Maureen had on red/blue/green plain pajama pants, a t-shirt with a cartoon reindeer on it and a Santa hat.

"Happy holidays!" Maureen sang as she stomped the snow off of her boots and shed her coat. She went around and gave everybody a hug.

"Okay, now is it time for presents?" Maureen asked childishly, mid-hug with Mark. Mark laughed and Maureen dragged him to join everybody else circling the tree.

Mark sat back from the action watching and listening to everybody as they opened their gifts.

"Oh my god, Mo! Where did you find zebra-striped drumsticks?"

"A new beanie! … Wait…are you guys trying to say something about my old one?"

"'The Well-Hungarians are welcome to perform at… Club 31?" Shit, Mimi! How the hell did you pull that off? This is amazing!"

" A microphone with a cow-print poofy- covery thing? You're so sweet."

"Mark got me a blanket! And it has a desi—Cats? Like 'Catscratch'? Mark, you're such an ass. It's a good thing I love you, chico."

"A brand new briefcase! Thank God, Collins, my old one is falling apart!"

After another few minutes, there was only one package left under the tree.

"Hey, somebody missed one," Mark pointed out.

"No…" Roger picked up the gift. "This is yours, Jew-boy."

Mark's eyebrows rose. "Really? Are you sure?"

Roger gave him a look. "Hey, I may not be the brightest guy around, but I can read." He handed the parcel to Mark.

Mark weighed it in his hands, examining the wrapping paper.

"Oh just open it already!" Mimi shouted at him. With a smirk, Mark complied and ripped the paper off.

"Holy shit…" Upon seeing the treasure inside, he dropped it in his lap. Gingerly, he picked it up again and shed it of the rest of the paper. It was a brand new camera; the one he'd been admiring in the store window for ages. He trailed his fingers along the sleek metal and plastic

"Woah! Mark cashed in!" Collins exclaimed.

"Better watch him, guys. If he disappears into that room of his with that, we might not see him until New Years'," Angel giggled, snuggling into Collins.

"Who's it from?" Mimi asked.

Mark rifled through the paper on his lap searching for a card.

"I don't know," he said, "Hey, Rog, was there a card on this?"

Roger shrugged. "Not that I saw. Jo, did you send it?"

Joanne shook her head. "Not me."

"Mo?"

Maureen shrugged, popping a chocolate into her mouth.

"Then who—"

"Hey! It's snowing!" Mimi cried, dragging Roger over to the window with her. Mark joined them along with the other Bohemians.

"We should get to the Life before it starts filling up," Collins suggested after a moment. Roger, Mimi, and Angel agreed.

"Sorry, guys, I have a case to work on," Joanne declined sadly. "Crime doesn't stop for Christmas…"

"I think I'll pass, too," Mark said. "I already ate and…"

"And you want to play with your new toy," Roger finished for him.

"Right…" Mark said sheepishly. "Maybe I'll meet up with you later—"

"Ha… good one. You'll be in your room with that camera forever," Roger teased. "See you later."

The Bohemians filed out the door, leaving Mark alone with his present from no one. Fiddling with the lens-cover, Mark walked slowly into his room, shutting the door behind him.

"So, do you like it?" A voice called from his bed. Mark jumped.

"Maureen! I thought you went to the Life with everybody else. You scared the shit out of me!"

Maureen stood up and smiled. "Happy Hanukkah."

"So it was you? You left me all of those presents?"

The spunky brunette nodded. "Do you like them?"

Mark's face lit up. "Are you kidding? I loved them!" He pulled her into a tight hug. He instantly regretted it when he felt the feelings that he thought he'd pushed out of him return the moment he touched her. Maureen pulled away slightly, still holding on to his arms, smiling.

"I'm glad." She pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him. Reflexively, Mark's hands found her waist and he responded. After a moment, he mentally kicked himself and pulled away. Maureen look confused.

"Joanne…" Mark said guiltily.

Maureen looked at the floor. "We broke up. Two weeks ago."

Mark raised an eyebrow.

"And I missed you," she painfully admitted. "Joanne was fun for a while, but she could never just… I don't know. She could never be you."

"W-What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I think there's a very good chance that I love you."

Mark was speechless. He'd waited three long years to hear those words from her, or an abridged version of those words, at the very least. He reveled in the moment.

"…But I guess you don't feel that way anymore," Maureen assumed forlornly from his silence. "I can take a hint. Have a nic—" She was cut of by Mark pulling her to him and capturing her lips with his.

"I really appreciate what you did for me this Hanukkah. I loved everything," Mark told her sincerely, "Especially this." He kissed her again, making her giggle.

"You're such a dork, Marky… I missed that. For some reason, it's unbelievably sexy."

Mark smirked. "_You're_ unbelievably sexy."

"Dork."

"Diva."

"Jew."

"Spiritualist."

"Albino."

"Curly-top."

Maureen pouted her lips. "Pookie."

Mark made a face. "You win."

Maureen beamed at him. "I always do…"

_At least she didn't call me Pookie again_, Mark thought to himself.

"… Pookie."

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed it. It was rushed, but at least it had a semi-okay-(but-not-really) ending... 

For the record, I really don't know much about Hanukkah... or Christmas (which is weird cuz supposedly I celebrate that one), so if any of the celebration stuff was a bit... off, that's why.

Reviews are awesome gifts... ::not-so-subtle hint::


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